Tag Archives: potato salad

Gentle Readers, sometimes one has all the time in the world to create a culinary masterpiece, and sometimes one must PUNT! In the spirit of football season and tailgating parties, here are two recipes devised to save time and save face.

Speaking of saving face, looks like the crowd approves the side dishes. Or you took selfies with my phone.

If you have to feed a crowd in a hurry, what better choices than baked beans and potato salad? But on a busy weekend during the school year, however much I may like to start from scratch, I will compromise and doctor store-bought. I even signed my name to one of them.

Mildly doctored blondies: wasn’t blown away by this mix, better from scratch. But they are pretty.

Doctored Potato Salad Recipe

I bought this beauty from SuperTarget, selected for quantity, price, and not being overly mayo-filled or celery seed laced. I have evolved in my acceptance of celery over the years, but I am unyielding on those celery seeds. They are not delicious to me. I digress.

Now you have a decision to make–is the container large enough to stir in your add-ins, or do you need to mix in a separate bowl? I’ll wait while you sort this out. Now you also must decide whether you own the doctoring or go full out and pass it as your own in a nice bowl.

Regardless, stir in the yellow mustard (a healthy dose if you want to offset mayo), relish, parsley (will make it taste fresh, don’t overdo it), and a dash of hot sauce (like Tabasco, and I mean just a dash) until fully blended. Top with sliced cherry tomatoes. Serve with a smile on your face.

Beer and Bacon Baked Beans Recipe

I adapted this recipe from Beer-Can Chicken, an amazing little cookbook that I worked on promoting many years ago. It calls for ribs and a grill, but bacon and an over work just fine, too.

Beer and Bacon Baked Beans before the oven!

1 large can of pork-n-beans (yes, the ones with the fatback and tomato sauce that are crazy cheap and taste bad by themselves)
1 can each: black beans, pinto beans, dark red kidney beans–rinsed thoroughly
smoky meat: can be leftover ribs, a bit of ham, or my favorite, cooked bacon
1 small onion, diced
1/2 – 3/4 cup diced mixed peppers (the sweet kind, I use the frozen mixed ones)
1/4 cup Dijon mustard
1/3 cup barbecue sauce (doesn’t have to be fancy, I use Kraft because it’s cheap)
2 healthy teaspoons of Worcestershire sauce
1/3 cup molasses
1/3 of a beer, the rest is for the cook
Ground black pepper to taste
a shot of your favorite hot sauce, to taste

Mix it all up in a 9 by 13 glass dish (or aluminum one if you’re wanting to toss it later), heat in a grill or in a 375-400 degree oven until bubbling and reduced. Thank me later, but feel free to invite me to your tailgate party now.

Beer and Bacon Baked Beans Completed!

What are your favorite things to buy and make better? Post a comment here or Tweet my way! Special thanks to #vGingerBeard and family for the invitation and the unsolicited thumbs up.

**Apologies for the schedule change. A bit of operator error kept this from posting in sequence and on time. Do forgive me, especially as I’m going negative here.**

Though it pains her to go negative, Gentle Readers, sometimes the gloves have to come off. The Practical Cook is opening the confessional booth to share with you a few items that will drive her from any summer picnic, get together, or pool. Let’s dive in, shall we?

Three of My Least Favorite Things, Summer Edition

1. FroYo. There, I said it. I don’t understand frozen yogurt. Yes, I get that it’s a toppings vector, but why? I don’t care for the texture, the flavor, or the concept of what I’m eating. And the term “FroYo” makes my teeth itch, actually itch. I said it a few more times in my head just to rid myself of the sensation. I know, this is a controversial stance, but I had to come out with it.

2. Chillie Willies. Again, perhaps the name is as unpalatable as the frozen chemical aftertaste. I have hated these since childhood. I don’t like sucking them out of plastic tubes, turning colors, or the taste. They never were properly frozen, and I could go on. Yes, I was that kid. Homemade ice cream spoiled me forever. Or homemade freezer pops, which gave you the opportunity to extract the flavor and leave the ice.

3. Celery Seed. I bring this up in the context of potato salad. I love potato salad, all kinds of it. I will accept overdressed, too mayo-ey, and all nationalities. However, if you dump a carton of celery seeds in there, I am leaving town. I’ve just come to accept celery into my pantheon of vegetables, I do not want essence of wrecking my potato experience. Please, I beg you, use a gentle hand with these.

Thank you, I feel much better now. Feel free to agree or disagree in the comment box below. Or add to the list, confession is very soothing.